Vertical gallium-nitride based light emitting diode

1. A vertical gallium-nitride (GaN)-based light emitting diode (LED) comprising:

an n-electrode;

a light-emitting structure in which an n-type GaN layer, an active layer, and a p-type GaN layer are sequentially formed under the n-electrode;

a p-electrode formed under the light-emitting structure;

a passivation layer formed to cover the side and bottom surfaces of the light-emitting structure and expose a predetermined portion of the p-electrode, the passivation layer being formed of a distributed Bragg reflector (DBR);

a plating seed layer formed under the passivation layer and the p-electrode; and

a support layer formed under the plating seed layer.

2. The vertical GaN-based LED according to claim 1 ,

wherein the DBR includes at least one semiconductor pattern in which a low refractive-index layer and a high refractive-index layer are sequentially formed.

3. The vertical GaN-based LED according to claim 2 ,

wherein the low refractive-index layer has a relatively lower refractive index than that of the high refractive-index layer.

4. The vertical GaN-based LED according to claim 2 ,

wherein the thicknesses of the low refractive-index and the high refractive-index layer, respectively, are λ/4 of reference wavelength.

5. The vertical GaN-based LED according to claim 1 ,

wherein the plating seed layer is a bi-layer in which an adhesive layer and a reflective layer are sequentially formed.

6. The vertical GaN-based LED according to claim 5 ,

wherein the adhesive layer is formed of metal selected from the group consisting of Cr, Ni, Ti, and alloy thereof.

7. The vertical GaN-based LED according to claim 5 ,

wherein the reflective layer is formed of metal selected from the group consisting of Ag, Al, Pt, and alloy thereof.